Four Rivers Photo Blog

With apologies to our northern neighbors who are experiencing a whopper of a winter, here in Maryland it's been colder and snowier than usual. I can't remember seeing snow on the ground from Christmas through March. Can you? It looks like this week's warmer days will yield again to Old Man Winter for a chilly, mixed precipitation St. Patrick's day. Many of us have cabin fever and are itching to get outside again. Hang on! Spring is coming! Chris and I have got some early spring shooting suggestions for you but first let's catch up on some Four Rivers Photo news.

We have a few seats remaining for this Saturday's workshop. Grab them quickly while they last and get ready for a season of confident photography. We'll take you through the basics of composition and exposure with plenty of practice on the streets of Annapolis.

We appreciate your help to spread the word about Four Rivers Photo Workshops to your friends and family. Send a link to this blog. We welcome new subscribers. LIKE us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Four Rivers Photo Workshops are a great value.

Can't join us this week? April 5 is the next Emerging Photographer Workshop or see our Register page for a complete list of dates. Check back often. We will be adding autumn and special summer workshops in the next few weeks. Remember, you can sign up for any workshop to reserve your seat early.

Yes! The workshops GO on rain, snow, cold, or bright sunshine! Check the front page of our website for any last minute news before each workshop date. The absence of a message means... It's a GO.

Winter Weekend Getaway

We teamed up with our friends at Gibson's Lodgings to offer a $199 workshop and two night getaway. Only two weeks remain to take advantage of the special. Wedding season arrives at Gibson's Lodgings with April and the special will be gone until next winter. Click the image below for full details.

Offer expires March 31, 2014

New Workshops Are On The Way

We are developing new workshops and tutoring sessions for the coming season. We'd love to have your input. Click and let us know how many interest you.

Butterflies in the Summer Garden -- A return of our popular macro workshop.

Flowers - Capturing the magnificence of spring and summer flowers.

All Those Buttons! -- An advanced workshop building on our Emerging Photographer Workshop and covering more advanced subjects like focus and exposure settings.

Harbingers of Spring - Shooting Suggestions

As the last snow piles melt, it's time to check that camera gear and get ready to enjoy Mother Nature's spectacular event. Daylight Savings Time leaves us wonderful evening light to sneak in some after work exercise and shooting. Even before our spring flowers bloom, everything from humpback whales to butterflies will fight its way north to breed and flourish in the summer sun. We along the Chesapeake and Atlantic shores are very fortunate to live in a flyway - a migration path for birds. Our winter geese, swan and ducks will soon head to their breeding grounds as warblers, song birds, shore birds and waders arrive here at their summer homes. Our local hotspots like the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Sandy Point, Kinder Farm Park and School House Pond offer excellent diversity within a quick trip. I think you'll agree, a birding walk beats the stuffing out of that treadmill!

March is a time of transition; winter eases but spring is still tentative. As we look for crocus and daffodils in our gardens and the maple trees bloom, birders and sailors await the osprey. Early birds have been seen along Anne Arundel County shores. I saw nesting pairs just south of Virgina Beach last weekend. They are on the move. Look also for bluebirds and of course flocks of robins. Both are here now. Try Cambridge, Kent Narrows and Sandy Point for a last look for ducks. Red-necked Grebe have been common lately too!

Here are some links that will keep you in-the-know for all things bird in our area.

Laurie grew up in the Annapolis area enjoying all that its rivers, woods, historic setting and strong community provide. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biology, she returned home to the banks of the Severn River. An early career as a biologist for The Johns Hopkins University soon transitioned to positions in the emerging field of Information Technology. Laurie designed and taught countless computer application courses and developed strong programming, data analysis and management skills. Through it all, Laurie captured her love of nature, landscape and animal portraiture - especially birds in photography. Her photographs are featured in Field Guide on Insects of the Cloud Forest, author Paul Beck, Illustrator Ryan Hobson; the Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas, TX; the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website All About Birds; and the travel website Schmap.com. Her awards include Best in Show and several category prizes in the 2011 Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the 500th Annual Annual Competition; Honorable Mention in the Nature Conservancy's 5th Annual Photography contest and several exhibition awards from the Digital Photography Club of Annapolis.

Four Rivers Photo Workshops - Annapolis, Maryland

Four Rivers Photo offers small group workshops for emerging photographers. Taught in historic Annapolis, Maryland, these hands-on, four-hour sessions demystify the artistic and technical aspects of digital photography for all ages and camera types. Whether you call it training, a class or a workshop, we call it fun and a great way to hone your skills with hands-on practice.

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